The Herbarium of the College of William & Mary (WILLI)

About the herbarium

The herbarium of the College of William & Mary (WILLI) was formally organized in 1968, and has since grown to over 81,500 accessioned specimens representing most of our regional vascular plant species. About one half of our collection has been generated by faculty and student research which includes the production of 29 floras and a diversity of other projects. The remainder of the collection has been generated by exchanges with other herbaria, and gifts from individuals and agencies such as the Virginia Natural Heritage. Our focus is on the southeast U.S., with special emphasis on Virginia's Coastal Plain Physiographic Province. Download a brochure about WILLI.

Herbarium specimens document the specific location and ecological setting in which a plant grew. Multiple representatives of a species document the extensive variation in plant form present in nature. This information is vital for the correct identification of species, and can facilitate a range of other studies in fields such as systematics, ecology, evolution, and conservation biology. Researchers may consult the collection for their own projects by making arrangements with its curator or director. Researchers outside the William & Mary community may inquire about receiving specimens through our loan program. For more information about herbaria, watch this Powerpoint presentation.